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A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774-1875
Journals of the Continental Congress --MONDAY, APRIL 23, 1781
A letter, of 16; and one, of 18, from General Washington, were read:2
[Note 2: 2 The letter of 16th is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 152, X, folio 77; that of the 18th is on folio 81. The letter of April 16 is printed, in part, in theWritings of Washington (Ford), IX, 218.]
Ordered, That the letter, of 18, be referred to the delegates of Pensylvania and that they confer on the subject with the president and supreme executive council of Pensylvania, and report.
A letter, of 10, from President Weare of Newhampshire, was read, enclosing an act passed by the legislature of that
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State "to authorise the Congress of the United States of America to levy a duty not exceeding five per cent. upon goods imported into and prizes condemned within that State":1
[Note 1: 1 This letter is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 64, folio 184; the Act enclosed is in No. 74, folio 9.]
Ordered, That a committee of three be appointed to prepare an ordinance for collecting the duties on imports and prizes so soon as acts have been passed by the legislatures of the states pursuant to the resolutions of the 3rd and 7th of February last:
The members, Mr. [James] Duane, Mr. [George] Clymer, Mr. [Thomas] Bee.
The committee to whom was referred the letter, of 9, from Chas. Stewart, delivered in a report, which was read; Whereupon,
Ordered, That the following warrants issue in favour of Charles Stewart, commissary general of issues, one on the commissioner of the continental loan office for the State of Massachusetts, for twenty thousand dollars; one on the commissioner of the continental loan office for the State of Rhode Island, for ten thousand dollars; and one on the commissioner of the continental loan office for the State of Connecticut, for ten thousand dollars; the whole amounting [to] forty thousand dollars new emission for the use of his department, and for which the said Charles Stewart, commissary general of issues, is to be accountable:
That a warrant issue on the commissioner of the continental loan office for the State of Rhode Island, in favour of Solomon Southwick, deputy commissary of issues, for two thousand dollars, bills of the new emission, for which sum he is to be accountable.
An extract of a letter, of 6th, from the governor of Virginia to the delegates of that State, was read:2
[Note 2: 2 This extract is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 71, II, folio 95.]
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Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of Treasury.
The letter, of 16, from General Washington, was taken into consideration; Whereupon,
Resolved, That the Board of War be and they are hereby directed to take effectual measures for the removal of all public stores and also all beef cattle and provisions and forage collected or stored, from the peninsula between the Delaware and Chesapeak bays and on the Jersey shore adjacent to the Delaware, which may probably fall into the hands of the enemy on an invasion. That the said cattle, provisions and forage be transported to places of security and valued by proper persons, and certificates given by the commissary general of purchases to the owners thereof, specifying quantity, quality and value:
That it be and hereby is recommended to the executives of New Jersey, Pensylvania, Delaware, Maryland and Virginia to give every assistance in their power to the officers appointed to secure the cattle, provisions and forage aforesaid.
Whereas, it is represented by the Commander in Chief that he has taken measures for the exchange of Lieutenant General Burgoyne:
Resolved, therefore, That he be authorised, if he shall think fit, to proceed in perfecting the said exchange, the resolution of the 3rd instant notwithstanding.1
[Note 1: 1 These resolutions upon the letter of General Washington were also entered in the manuscript Secret (Domestic) Journal. A copy of the first resolution is in theWashington Papers, 96, 203.]
A letter, of 12, from the navy board in the eastern department; and
A letter, of 19, from Solomon Hailing, were read.2
[Note 2: 2 The Navy Board's letter is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 37, folio 155; Halling's is in No. 78, XII, folio 133.
A letter from John Ross, dated this day, was read, according to the indorsement. It is in No. 78, XIX, folio 353.]
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.
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